Method and device for simulating an electrode welding process

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device ( 1 ) for simulating an electrode welding process having an electrode holder simulator ( 2 ) and a simulated electrode ( 3 ) arranged thereon, a simulated workpiece ( 4 ), an input device ( 6 ), an output device ( 7 ) and a control device ( 10 ). For the ideal training of an electrode welding process under conditions as real as possible, the control device ( 10 ) is connected to a memory ( 11 ) for storing parameters (P i ) of an ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator ( 2 ) during an ignition process and is designed for detecting the parameters (P r ) during an actual motion of the electrode holder simulator ( 2 ) and comparing them to the stored parameters (P i ) of the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process and displaying the deviations between the parameters (P r ) of the actual motion and the parameters (P i ) of the ideal motion in the output device ( 7 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for simulating an ignition process of an electrode welding process, the method comprising steps of:
 providing a device comprising: an electrode holder simulator, a simulated electrode arranged thereon, a simulated workpiece, an input device, an output device and a control device, 
 simulating an ignition process by comparing first parameters during an actual motion of the electrode holder simulator to second stored parameters of an ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process, 
 detecting deviations between the first parameters of the actual motion and the second stored parameters of the ideal motion, and 
 displaying the deviations, 
 wherein the second stored parameters comprise a location of the electrode holder simulator with respect to the simulated workpiece, the speed of the motion of the electrode holder simulator, and a sweeping of the area of the simulated workpiece after finishing ignition, and 
 wherein a residence time is measured and a sticking of the simulated electrode to the simulated workpiece is simulated if the measured residence time deviates from a given threshold value. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator is displayed during the ignition process. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the start of the display of the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during the ignition process is announced. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ignition processes are repeated until the deviations of a given number of actual motions of the electrode holder simulator from the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process are within a given range of tolerance. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second stored parameters of an ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator are modified in the input device by modifying third influencing parameters selected from the group consisting of: the activating of an anti-stick feature, the activating of a hot start, the activating of a reduction of the welding voltage, the type and length of the simulated electrode. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an audible signal of an ignition process is played during the actual motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location of the electrode holder simulator with respect to the simulated workpiece is calibrated before simulating the ignition process. 
     
     
       8. A device for simulating an ignition process of an electrode welding process, the device comprising:
 an electrode holder simulator and a simulated electrode arranged thereon, 
 a simulated workpiece, 
 an input device, 
 an output device, 
 a control device, and 
 a memory connected to the control device, 
 wherein the control device is designed to send parameters of an ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process to the memory for storage of the parameters in the memory and is designed for detecting the parameters during an actual motion of the electrode holder simulator and comparing them to the stored parameters of the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process and displaying the deviations between the parameters of the actual motion and the parameters of the ideal motion in the output device, 
 wherein the parameters comprise the location of the electrode holder simulator with respect to the simulated workpiece, the speed of the motion of the electrode holder simulator, and the sweeping of the area of the simulated workpiece after finishing ignition, and 
 wherein the device is configured to measure the residence time and to simulate a sticking of the simulated electrode to the simulated workpiece if the measured residence time deviates from a given threshold value. 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the output device is designed for displaying the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during the ignition process. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the output device is designed for announcing the start of the display of the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator during the ignition process. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 8 , wherein a force sensor for detecting the force of a touch of the simulated electrode on the simulated workpiece is provided, which force sensor is connected to the control device. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein an electromagnet for simulating the sticking of the simulated electrode to the simulated workpiece is provided, which electromagnet is connected to the control device. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the input device is designed for inputting influencing parameters selected from the group consisting of the activating of an anti-stick feature, the activating of a hot start, the activating of a reduction of the welding voltage, and the type and length of the simulated electrode and
 wherein the input device is connected to the control device, so the stored parameters of the ideal motion of the electrode holder simulator are modifiable by the influencing parameters. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 8 , wherein a speaker for the audible playing of a signal of an ignition process during the actual motion of the electrode holder simulator during an ignition process is provided. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 8 , wherein at least one sensor for measuring the location of the electrode holder simulator with respect to the simulated workpiece or a workpiece holder for receiving the simulated workpiece is provided, which at least one sensor is connected to the control device. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the control device is designed for calibrating the location of the electrode holder simulator with respect to the simulated workpiece before simulating the ignition process.